Participant’s last session. In this unit we focus on any questions or concerns that participants may have from the program. An opportunity for bridging is presented, for example, what other support groups may the participants attend in order to maintain learning and there is also another group get together planned for the cohort to maintain connection. Certificates of completion are handed out.

This unit is provides a stage for participants to read their letters of accountability and receive feedback from their peer group. How shame impacts our lives is discussed and the difference between guilt and shame is established. Being able to accept and be responsible for actions and tools to develop more understanding of what aided participants in becoming who they are wraps up this unit. Expected outcomes are a deepened sense of self awareness and self empowerment.

This unit builds on the last and focuses on what makes up a true apology and how participants can be accountable for their actions. The key piece to this unit is writing a letter of accountability which includes an apology. Expected outcomes for participants in this unit are achieving a level of self empowerment in being accountable.

This unit provides a foundation for an understanding of the victims perspective and developing empathy. Defining safety and making space for multiple perspectives are a key part of this unit and wraps up with a brief study of grief. A mindfulness tool to add to the tool box is a body pat down exercise that helps get individuals grounded and more aware of their own body. Expected outcomes are an increased sense of empathy and awareness of the experience of others who have been involved with domestic violence.

This unit guides participants through a process of understanding self esteem and self confidence and provides tools to build on each. Core beliefs and how they effect our well being are explored and if necessary built upon or challenged. This unit also highlights passive aggressive behaviours and what it means to be assertive. Expected outcomes from this unit are an enhanced awareness of behaviours and one’s own outlook on self. A mindfulness tool to add to the toolbox is cultivating a gratitude attitude.

This unit introduces participants to one and two way communication and provides strategies for respectful communication and active listening techniques. Methods for conflict resolution are discussed and practiced. To add to the mindfulness toolbox, the awareness wheel is used to ground participants and is a portable tool to bring more awareness into the moment.

This unit is a keystone piece to the program linking emotional awareness, accountability to feelings and needs, and communication in what is known as non-violent communication. Participants work through an exercise that demonstrates how our brain fills in blanks and makes assumptions and tools are provided to clarify thoughts. Expected outcomes are a development of a new and effective way of being accountable and compassionate while communicating.

This unit eases participants into the communication section of the program which begins with self-talk. Participants build on the notion of the inner voice, how to become aware of it, make friends with it and use affirmations to challenge negative thinking patterns. Both positive and negative self talk are discussed and are related back to anger. The premise is to empower participants to be accountable to their own thoughts. A brief mindful breathing exercise is worked through to demonstrate the simplicity of connecting to our breath. Expected outcomes for participants in this unit are a deepened awareness of their inner voice and how to harness the power of positive self talk and affirmations.

This unit introduces participants to a deeper level of emotional awareness within the context of anger, using anger logs and the anger scale. With these new tools, participants are introduced on how to express anger respectfully. The concept of a “Time Out” is presented to add to the mindfulness toolbox as well as a mindful body awareness exercise. Expected outcomes of this unit for participants are a broader awareness of anger and to be accountable to what they are feeling using the tool of a time-out.

This unit delves deeper into emotions with a focus on anger and working into the depths of emotional discovery via the emotional onion. The pillars of anger, the anger volcano, primary and secondary emotions are discussed to give insight into processing feelings. To add to their mindfulness toolbox, participants are introduced to a body awareness exercise for relaxation and meditation. Expected outcomes for participants in this unit are to develop an understanding of the value of anger and to use the tools to deepen their awareness of what they feel.

This unit provides and introduction to what emotions are and the purpose they serve. Participants are introduced to the concept of somatics and healthy ways to express emotions. Facial expressions are studied to demonstrate how they can be interpreted or misinterpreted. To add to their mindfulness toolbox, participants are introduced to another breathing exercise. Expected outcomes of this unit for participants are to have an understanding of the range of emotions and how emotions manifest in their bodies.

This unit introduces participants to group guidelines and defines and outlines the many types of abuse specific to domestic violence. Expected outcomes is that participants broaden their understanding of what abuse is and are introduced to an example of what a healthy relationship looks like. To add to their mindfulness toolbox, participants are introduced to a breathing exercise

Unit 1 What is Abuse ?

This unit introduces participants to group guidelines and defines and outlines the many types of abuse specific to domestic violence. Expected outcomes is that participants broaden their understanding of what abuse is and are introduced to an example of what a healthy relationship looks like. To add to their mindfulness toolbox, participants are introduced to a breathing exercise